He, Jimmie Dale, had come without an instant's
loss of time from Baldy Jack's, and it was more than an even chance that
Hunchback Joe would have remained somewhere in the neighbourhood until
the affair was over. It would take some little time--not until after the
police had restored order--to discover that the attempt upon Klanner had
been abortive, that Klanner's body was _not_ lying there dead on the
floor. But after that--Jimmie Dale opened the door of the partition
stealthily, slipped through, and, as his flashlight swept around again,
nodded his head sharply--yes, he had thought so!--there was a means of
communication here--a telephone. Well then, after that, Hunchback Joe
would set every crook and tool over whom he had any control at work to
find Klanner. But that meant different men at work in many different
directions, and there must therefore be some central spot where
Hunchback Joe could be instantly reached and reports made to him should
Klanner be found--and what better place, what more likely place than
here in the security of his own lair! Yes, Hunchback Joe, since he,
Jimmie Dale, was now satisfied that the other had not yet returned,
would be back here, and, in all probability, long before midnight.
Pages:
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443